Cosmic Love
by Rorry Lamb
Summary: Her thoughts were stars that could not be fathomed into constellations. He loved her a little more for that. When she kisses him, storms rise beneath his skin for he is the ocean ans she, his moon.
1. Chapter 1

Blood and ruin. That was what filled the halls of Hogwarts. Blood and ruin and death,so much death. Luna stood in the Astronomy tower, her silvery blonde hair matted with blood and sweat, her dreamy silvery eyes were filled with unshed tears and anger. She hated waiting for the Death Eaters. Hated it.

She had helped Harry find Rowena's diadem, and then she had been instructed by her raven haired friend to go with Lupin and Tonks to the tower. Luna looked at her werewolf professor.

"It's going to be alright." She smiled despite the feeling of foreboding.

Remus tried to smile. He opened his mouth, preparing to speak but bright lights stopped him. Luna gasped quietly as she watched the protective barrier falL. Luna felt like screaming as she watched the burning tendrils that had once been the barrier float to the ground.

* * *

><p>Luna felt like her body was on fire. Every breath brough with it a fiery pain and every spell she casted zapped a bit of strength. Death eater after Death eater attacked her and her friends.<p>

Luna cried out as the wall beside her exploded, raining smoldering debris down on her person. She rolled to the left, landing painfully on her arm, in order to avoid a Killing Curse. The Death Eater laughed, a strange sound, like water sputtering out of a faucet. Luna whimpered silently while pulling herself up, her shoulder ached something terrible and her head was spinning a bit from the pain.

"Prepared to die, Blood traitor?" The Death Eater said, his voice clipped.

Luna wanted to laugh at his poor choice of words. _Blood traitor_, she though absently, _such a silly little tile to bestow upon a person_. Yet she remained silent. All around her people were dying. People she had grown up with, eaten with, people she had fought with. All dying, their eyes glazed over with nothingness and a bleak hopeless expression. luna stood stalk still amongst the wreckage.

She raised her wand. The dark polished wood seemed to shine in the flashing lights. Her other wand had been confiscated by Bellatrix when she had been taken to Malfoy manor. Oliviander had been so kind as to make her a new one.

"Reducto!"

A brilliant blue ball of light sped toward the Death Eater, who didn't have enough time to throw up a shield in order to protect himself. The spell hit him square in the chest, sending him soaring through the air. Luna ran, not wanting to stick around, waiting for the Death Eater to end her.

Luna raced down the Astronomy tower stairs. Her mismatched shoes a painfully bright blur. Down she ran, farther and farther into the heat of the battle. Luna was sure she looked rather deranged with her bloody, matted hair, swollen lip, and bruised eye... But then, not many others were better off.

Colors flew through the air. Killing curses and Shields, and brilliant flashes of red. It would have been beautiful if it hadn't been so horrific to bare witness to. Luna gasped for breath as she rounded a corner, straight into a Death Eater infested corridor. Luna tried to turn tail and run- knowing she would never be able to hold off so many Death Eaters- but it was to late for they had already spotted her.

Several Death Eaters shouted out at once. Luna's eyes widened in horror, she threw up a shield to defend herself against the green and purple curses that flew at her. Hot tears leaked down her dirty cheeks, and she hated herself for it. Hated herself for feeling so weak. He mother hadn't been weak... Her mother... She had been strong in Death... Luna could be strong to. She could fight back. If not for her friends and the freedom of her world then for her mother.

Luna straightened though her wand hand trembled terribly. sweat beaded upon her brow. "Protego!" Luna chirped, flicking her wand at the incoming killing curse, which then shot back at its caster.

Luna was barely able to deflect the spells coming at her. Block, block, fire, block, fire, fire, block. Soon she was covered in horrid bleeding cuts, the worst of which being the ugly looking cut that ran from her right hip and up her side to the top of her rib cage. She coughed, red blood spilling from her lips. Luna wanted to scream and sob and swear. She didn't want to die... Not yet... Not like this. Not without saying goodbye to the Thresals and the gnomes and her dad... Her dad.

Her distraction allowed a rather nasty Death Eater to cast a rather nasty spell that sent her flying through the air and into a pillar. Luna rolled onto her knees, blood dripping from her lip and the ground spinning beneath her feet. God it hurt.

_Use the spell_, a voice in her head whispered softly. Luna realized with a shock that it was her mother's voice. Luna struggled to stand, using nothing but pure force of will alone to move her badly shaking legs. The spell was the reason her mother was dead, an experiment gone wrong, a misplaced flick of the wrist that had ended up costing her life.

"Coming back for more? Lovegood, they never learn when they've been beaten." A Death Eater sneered.

Luna raised her arm, willing the shaking to stop. The Death Eaters laughed, and with one last look at the bloody scene behind her Luna very softly whispered the spell.

Three things happened at once. The first being the powerful surge that had shot from the tip of her wand, the second was the unbelievably vibrant golden light that seemed to envelope the entire corridor, and finally, as that golden glow embraced her, there was a warmth, like a mother's embrace... Like a warm fire and a butter-bear on a cold winter morning.

Luna closed her eyes tightly as her body collapsed on itself, no longer able to keep her awake let alone upright. The darkness was such a welcomed relief against the pain that she almost didn't notice that she wasn't laying on rubble and debris in a ruined corridor, but instead soft moss and summer grass. Of course one hardly ever recognizes such changes when one is on the brink of unconsciousness. Luna tried to open her eyes, barely able to crack them open and gaze out with blurry vision from beneath her lashes as a tall shadow appeared next to her. Finally giving into the exhaustion she had put her body through, Luna closed her eyes and slipped into a deep dark abyss.

* * *

><p>Haldir had sensed the disturbance in the air as soon as it had happened. He looked up, his hands hovering over his weaponry. Every instinct screamed danger, but something deep inside told the elven warrior that he needed to find the source of the disturbance, and quickly.<p>

Haldir stood slowly, gazing longingly at the cool stream he had been sitting by before moving into the forest. Lothlórien was truly a beautiful place, still untouched by the evil taint of Sauron. As he moved deeper into the forest, following his feet that moved on their own accord, he thought of Galadriel. Had she sensed it as well? Did she know he was going to search for the cause? Was it dangerous? Haldir shook his head violently, there was no need for such thinking.

Haldir stopped suddenly, his heightened hearing picking up on the sound of labored breathing. Turning to his left, Haldir noticed the figure laying in a heap upon the ground. He quickly rushed to the person's side. Blood was beginning to pool around the person's body and Haldir found himself mildly shocked to see that it was a woman and not a man laying in the bloody pool. Haldir briefly stared at her, even with the blood and dirt marring her features she was oddly beautiful... For a mortal.

Bring her to the healers, Ithilwen has returned.

Upon hearing the voice of his Queen within his head, ans with bo small amount of confusion- for he knew no one by that name- Haldir carefully scooped the injured woman into his arms and made his way- as quickly as possible- back to the home tree.


	2. Chapter 2

The healers of Lorien had been quite shocked when the March warden of Lorien cam rushing into the healing ward, a bloody woman hanging limply in his arms, with Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn following behind.

"Lay her there." One of the healers, a woman with thick ebon hair and blue eyes, said.

Haldir carefully placed the young girl on the bed. Her head rolled to the side, the white pillows and blanket quickly becoming scarlet with blood. Haldir turned a questioning look to the healer. The elven women shook her head, looking up at her Lord and Lady.

Lady Galadriel gently pressed her hand against the girl's forehead, whispering softly in the girl's ears. Haldir's eyes grew wide as the healer began to removed the injured woman's shirt, red tinted his cheeks as he turned and made his way to the door. Lord Celeborn was right beside him.

Galadriel watched them, her blue eyes twinkling with bemusement. A bloody cough drew her attention back to the injured child, for that's what she was, a child... One Galadriel had never expected- but had hoped beyond belief- to see again. Her daughter, her Ithilwen. It had been many moons since she had last seen her daughter, the young elfling whom held the eternal light of the stars in her eyes.

"My Lady... This could not be Ithilwen... Could it?" The healer questioned.

Galadriel smiled, Vanya had been a healer in Lothlorien for as long as she could remember. Vanya remembered every elven being to be brought into the healing ward. It came as no surprise to Galadriel that she had remembered her daughter.

"Ithilwen has returned to us, yes... But in a time of great distress, I'm afraid." Galadriel replied.

It brought great joy to have her daughter back and even greater worry that she had returned for a great darkness was spreading through the land. A feeling of foreboding grew in the Lady of Light's heart. Sauron had yet to make himself an immediate threat to Lothlorien, but now his eye would be turned on her daughter. The first female Istari of Elven blood. A threat to him and his dark wats but also his salvation should darkness taint her heart.

Vanya bit into her lip- something she rarely did- as she began to heal Ithilwen's bleeding wounds. Galadriel helped to the best of her abilities, keeping her daughter alive and stable as Vanya worked.

* * *

><p>Luna could hear people talking, worried voices that sounded so familiar that it caused a deep ache for her mother and father in her chest. Blue eyes flickered open only to squeeze shut against the harsh light.<p>

The voices grew louder, more urgent as gentle hands pressed against her shoulders and face. Luna could tell that the ones that gently stroked her cheeks belonged to a woman and the one that rested on her uninjured shoulder belonged to a man.

"Ithilwen..."

Luna wanted to frown. The name, she was sure it was a name, seemed familiar but she couldn't seem to figure out where it had come from and who it was directed at. Surely not herself, her name was Luna Lovegood. Sleep consumed her before she could think on it further.

When she woke up again Luna was slightly less disoriented. The lights didn't hurt her eyes as much when she opened them and it didn't hurt to breath as much as it had before. Looking around Luna noticed that she wasn't in the hospital wing at Hogwarts nor was she at St. Mungo's.

Luna was out of the bed and on her feet in an instant. Her wand, her wand, oh god where was her wand? Luna's eyes darted around the room, quickly landing on the polished wooden stick that was her wand. Luna made a lunge for it, rolling over the bed, and gracefully landing in her feet. Wand in hand Luna stumbled toward the door.

"You should not be out of bed!"

Luna turned, wand extended, to stare at the woman who had addressed her. The woman was beautiful, her ebon hair was pulled back in several braids, her large eyes glittered with worry and age, and her fair skin seemed to glow. Luna swallowed hard.

"Where am I? Who are you? But more importantly, where am I?" Luna questioned softly, never one to raise her voice.

"You are in Lothlorien, My Lady. Please return to bed, you are still healing." Vanya spoke soothingly, and approached Luna as one would approach a cornered animal. Slowly and hands held up ever so slightly.

Luna blinked, one hand flying up to press against her forehead. Vanya stepped forward, closing the large gap between herself and her Lady. Vanya gently coaxed the wand from the young Istari's shaking hand.

"Ithilwen... You must return to bed, you are safe here within these walls." Yavana whispered.

"Luna... My name is Luna Lovegood, I'm very sorry but I do not know of this Ithilwen." Luna mumbled while slowly sitting on the bed she had woken in.

Vanya's frown deepened, but she couldn't say anything because it was not her place to reveal to the young Istari who she truly was. What her birth right was. That right went to her Naneth and her Ada but not to the woman who had helped to bring her into the world.

Vanya looked at Ithilwen, a small smile tugging at her lips upon noticing that the elfling had once again fallen asleep.

* * *

><p>Galadriel stood over Ithilwen's sleeping form. Her golden hair dangled around her like a heavy golden cloak. Vanya stood beside her, lips pursed together in a thin disapproving line.<p>

"My Lady... Are you sure this is the right course of action. You may not like what you find..." Vanya trailed off.

Galadriel smiled at her. "I am sure." She stated.

Vanya gently inclined her head, then she turned and left the room, giving Galadriel the privacy Vanya knew she needed. Once Vanya was gone Galadriel carefully sat on the bed beside her daughter. It had hurt, leaving her in that world, but it had been for the best and both Galadriel and Celeborn knew that.

Galadrien gently placed her hand against Ithilwen's pale cheek, she could feel the power of the Adar stirring beneath the surface of her flesh. Galadriel smiled down at her daughter, then slowly delved into her daughter's conscious.

Galadriel found many things in her daughter's memories. She saw the death of the woman whom Galadriel had entrusted with the task of raising her daughter, she watched as the woman's husband slowly lost some of his sanity. Galadriel watched as her daughter grew in both body and mind, watched as she was shunned for what the people of the world she grew up in saw as being eccentric. Galadriel watched as her daughter befriended the boy who loved, watched her fight beside him.

Galadriel frowned as a particularly dark memory came into view. A war, bodies lying upon the ground, gazing up through glassy eyes. the images flew by almost to fast for Galadriel to grab hold of. What images the Lady of Light was able to grasp was filled with pain and blood and a castle in ruins. There was a searing pain in her side and in her head.

Galadriel ripped herself away from her daughter's memories. Looking down at her side. She found nothing. No pain and no blood to suggest that she had ever felt the pain in the first place. Galadriel looked at her daughter, tears of realization burning her eyes. Galadriel slowly stroked a silvery blonde lock of hair out of Ithilwen's face.

Galadriel watched as Ithilwen's eyebrows drew together, her eyes flickering open to look at Galadriel, who smiled softly though her unshed tears blurred her vision slightly.

"... Naneth..." Luna mumbled sleepily, not even realizing she had spoken the elvish language.

Galadriel smiled, "Lellig." she spoke softly and then placed a motherly kiss upon her daughter's forehead.

* * *

><p>Naneth is elvish for Mother.<p>

Lellig is elvish for My Daughter.


	3. Chapter 3

Luna listened to Vanya talk as the two made their way to the bath houses. It was a dream... It had to be, there was no way on earth that her mother would be alive. There was no way Luna could be a princess. No way... Unless being princess of mismatched socks qualified her.

"Now the bath houses are separated. Men are not allowed into the women's bath house and vice versa. Any questions?" Vanya asked.

Luna shook her head slowly, it was just like her time period. She and Vanya slipped into the bath house. It was a large room with tiled pools filled with steaming water fed by- what Luna assumed to be- a hot spring. Luna was still terribly sore and with the help of Vanya was slowly able yo strip herself of the simple white nightgown like dress she had been given.

Luna was unbelievably thankful that the bath house was vacant. She wasn't sure if she was ready to deal with anymore elves and curious eyes staring at her like a scientist would stare at a new species. Luna had been informed- by Vanya- that word of her curious arrival in the forest had spread throughout Lothlorien.

"Y-You don't have to stay..." Luna stuttered as Vanya took a seat on one of the marble benches that lined the wall.

"You're still injured. Your wound has stopped bleeding but if it opens up again I need to be able to treat you quickly... Besides you stumbled three times on your way here, it would be a travesty if you were to faint and drown before meeting with your Ada and Naneth." Vanya stated kindly.

Luna let out a resigned sigh, then carefully slid into the steaming water. A delighted moan slid from Luna's lips as the warm water enveloped her body. She carefully used her nails to scrub away dirt and sweat that had accumulated over the past few days. Yes Vanya had cleansed her as much as possible but Vanya hadn't been able to get all of the dirt and grime.

Luna dipped under the water and when she came back up her hair had become considerably lighter then it had been before. Vanya watched Ithilwen through amused eyes. Vanya could see why humans might consider her odd, she hummed softly, gnawed on her bottom lip when she was troubled, and more then once she had mentioned Nargles- mischievous thieves, Bowtruckles- an insect eating, tree dwelling wooden creature that is hard to spot, and a wrackspurt. Ithilwen had even claimed to have seen a Bowtuckle on their way to the bath house.

To humans she may appear eccentric, yes, but to the elves... To the elves she was merely an elfling princess who saw things others overlooked. Vanya admired her for that.

"Vanya? Do you have any children?"

Vanya looked over at Ithilwen. Her hair hung around her body and floated in the water in a cascade of silvery blonde. Vanya smiled.

"Yes, a son. Nendir." Vanya replied.

"Nendir... I would very much like to meet him." Luna chirped.

"One day, perhaps." Vanya said.

Luna smiled, it was a radiant smile that made her already dreamy eyes glitter. Once Ithilwen was out of the pools Vanya quickly helped her dry herself off and get dressed. The dress Lady Galadriel had provided was one of simple blue silk.

Vanya quickly ushered Luna to a bench and began to brush her hair, with much resistance from Ithilwen. Vanya merely told her that until she had complete use of her injured arm then she should allow Vanya to help her... Especially today since she would be meeting her parents.

Luna sat with her arms crossed as Vanya carefully pulled, wound, braided, and pinned back her hair before placing a circlet of silver on her hair. Vanya smiled at her.

"Beautiful. Now come along, your Naneth and Ada are waiting."

Luna nodded, stood, smoothed out her dress, and then followed her from the room.

* * *

><p>Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel were growing impatient, it wasn't that they couldn't wait, it was that they were tired of waiting. The night previous Galadriel had briefly spoken to her daughter. A series of hushed words and promises of explanation in the morning.<p>

Galadriel turned to look at her husband. He seemed worried, Galadriel placed her hand over his in comfort. The doors to the room slid open to reveal Ithilwen. Galadriel smiled alongside Celeborn, the two watched as their daughter carefully gathered her skirts- revealing two bright, mismatched shoes- and stepped into the room. Galadriel stood.

"Come, Ithilwen. There is much we need to discuss."

* * *

><p>An hour later Luna- or Ithilwen, as both her mother and father insisted on calling her as well as every other elf she had met- found herself being escorted around by a man... Elf... Man elf, named Haldir. Luna liked Haldir for the most part... He called her Princess or Princess Ithilwen and Luna wasn't to sure she liked that.<p>

It wasn't like she wasn't Ithilwen or that she minded being a princess, but she was Luna Lovegood, too. Haldir insisted on showing her around, and Luna let him.

"Wrackspurts." Luna mumbled after a moment

Haldir looked at her, his eyebrows furrowing curiously. "Wrack... Spurts?" He implored questioningly.

"Yes," Luna nodded, "Wrackspurts. Your heads full of them. But don't worry, they are harmless."

Haldir's lip quirked upward. "And you know this how, Princess?"

With a delighted smile Luna waved her wand, producing her glasses- a rather vibrant blue and pink set- and a mirror. "I know, because, I can see them due to having seen them before. Elves have better eyesight, but one does need to see a wrackspurt once before in order to keep seeing it." Luna carefully slid the colorful glasses onto Haldir's face.

With a giggle Luna held up the mirror. Haldir's eyes grew wide on his face as the tiny balls of light appeared floating around his head. He carefully swiped at them, and Luna chuckled.

"You should be thankful. My friend Harry Potter was injured once... Badly. He had this cloak that made him invisible. If it hadn't been for the wrackspurts then I might have never found him." Luna said.

"This Harry Potter... What happened to him?" Haldir implored as the two walked down the stair case that wound around the home tree.

Luna frowned. "I am... Not sure." Luna mumbled.

Haldir was about to reply but before he could three young elflings darted between them. Luna laughed, gave Haldir and apologetic smile, gathered her skirts and chased after them, almost instantly becoming part of the game the three elflings were playing.


	4. Chapter 4

Luna watched as Haldir paced back and forth across the ground. Over the past week the two had become good friends. Luna enjoyed his company- partially because he listened to her blabber on about wrackspurts and house elves and why she wasn't wearing shoes... Why she hadn't been wearing shoes for the past week.

Luna lazily twirled her wand between her thumb and forefinger, red sparks flying from the tip of the polished wood. "Why are you so nervous, mellon nin?" Luna implored with a gentle smile.

"Lord Elrond and Mithrandir are arriving within the hour..." Haldir mumbled.

"Lord Elrond? Mithrandir? Is there a particular reason as to why they are coming?" Luna implored.

"Annatar is coming, Ithilwen."

"Mellon nin, who is Sauron?"

Haldir became very still. He looked at Ithilwen, eyes gaurded and posture tense. Many of the elves of Lorien were well aware of Ithilwen's involvement in the world she had previously lived in.

"It is not my place to tell." Haldir mumbled.

"So he's evil then...," Luna stated, tapping her chin, "He is a Dark Lord, no? Like Voldemort but with more power? And he wishes to take over our world?"

"Sometimes you are to observant." Haldir stated, amazed with the young Elleth's mental capability.

"One can never be to observant." Luna corrected with a chuckle.

Haldir smiled, taking a seat across from Luna on the ground. Haldir pulled out his sword and ran his thumb carefully across it. A thin line of blood appeared on the pale pad of flesh. Luna sighed as she pointed her wand at him. "Episky... You must be more careful." Luna stated before turning to her book.

"I should be patrolling." Haldir stated.

"But you aren't..." Luna said.

"But I should be."

"Then why aren't you?"

"I am under strict orders to watch you."

Luna chuckled softly and flipped the page of her book, completely aware of Haldir's almost silent exasperated sigh. She smiled, he reminded her of Charlie Weasley... Just a little bit.

* * *

><p>Luna watched as two men made their way up the home tree. One was tall, his hair just as dark as his eyes, his ear were pointed and his features beautiful. The other was not short, but he was shorter then the other man, his hair was grey and his eyes were like the sky during a storm, he wore a grey cloak, he carried a long wooden staff in his right hand and a pointy grey hat in the other.<p>

"Lord Eldrond, is the Lord of Rivendell. He married your thêl einior just this past year." Vanya said.

The two elleths were sitting in Luna's bed chambers. Gazing out the window at the approaching party. Luna looked over her shoulder, her silvery eyes curious.

"I have a sister?" She was shocked.

Vanya laughed, she was even more beautiful then usual when she laughed, and placed a dark green dress across the bed. Luna could chose her clothes herself, and she'd said as much, but Vanya insisted that on occasion she help the young princess dress.

"Oh yes. The Lady Celebrain. Sweet girl, would have been so happy to know you have returned." Vanya stated.

Luna frowned a bit. There was something that Vanya wasn't telling her, but not being one to pry, Luna turned away and nodded. Her attention returning to the two men who were being greeted and led away by Haldir.

"And the other? Mithrandir?" Luna asked.

"Mithrandir is a member of the White Council. A group of Istari led by Saruman the white. Mithrandir is a kind man." Vanya replied.

Luna stood, her hands extended over her head, fingers curling and back arching, silvery blonde locks falling down her back in thick torrents. She walked over to Vanya, slowly untying her dressing robe. She wasn't quite sure why her mother insisted she change.

Vanya slowly helped Ithilwen into the dark velvet dress. The darkness of the green made the elfling's fair complexion become even fairer. She seemed to radiate a beautiful silver glow. Vanya carefully sat her down and began to run a jeweled comb through Ithilwen's long curls.

"You look beautiful." Vanya stated with a smile.

Luna blushed a pretty shade of rose pink. "Thank you." She said softly before she stood. Vanya nodded and placed a pretty emerald ringlet upon her head. The small emeralds embedded in the silvery glittered subtly in the light of the lanterns hanging in Luna's room.

"Why are Lord Elrond and Mithrandir here?" Luna asked.

"Galadriel has summoned Lord Elrond and Lord Círdan as well as Mithrandir to a council." Vanya replied softly.

Luna frowned. If her mother had called a council meeting then that meant she saw something unpleasant. Something coming with the growing darkness. She bit her bottom lip, gnawing on the pink flesh.

* * *

><p>Luna was there when the meeting ended. She watched as the three men slipped from the coucil meeting room- she wasn't quite sure what it was calles but that worked for her- and tensed slightly as the greying man hesitated Before walking off.<p>

Luna's hand hesitated over the door, her other hand resting on the silver knob. Should she knock? Was it even appropriate seeing as to how they had just gotten out of a meeting... They might be tired. Luna jumped as the door swung open.

"Come in, Ithilwen." Celeborn commanded kindly. His ageless face tired and a bit worn.

Luna slowly walked into the room. she wrung her hands, an unlady like thing to do but she wasn't to bothered with it at the moment. She closed the door behind her, and walked further into the room.

"Something is troubling you." Galadriel said, no question in her tone.

"Yes... I was thinking... When we... When I was fighting in that corridor," Luna's eyes never left her mother as she spoke, "When I performed that spell. That spell brought me here, which also means it brought a few people I was fighting against as well. I know you don't want to involve me in whatever is happening... If you did you would have told me about Sauron. But, if those witches or wizards are here then they'll side with Sauron." Luna stated.

"We did not wish to ruin your peace of mind." Celeborn replied before Galadriel could.

"I appreciate that. I do, but, if there are other witches or wizards from my world," she noticed her parents flinch a bit at that, "Then I need to know. These people... They aren't even people anymore. They have lost all of their compassion. Their humanity. These people have tortured and slaughtered children. If they have come to these lands then they will side with Sauron."

"And if they have?" Celeborn asked.

Galadriel remained quiet. Her hands clasped in her lap. Luna sighed, worried filled her being. A horrible twisting and pulling of her nerves and a sickening tightening of her heart.

"If they have then they will start bringing powerful beings to their side. They will start with werewolves and influential mortals, that can give them the things they need. Then once they have enough power behind them, they will turn their attention to the White Council and Elves of noble blood. I know they are going to be interested in Saruman and Mithrandir, as for Radagast the brown or the two blue wizards I cannot be sure," Luna shifted, "Radagast will be seen as eccentric and the blue wizards may be beyond their influence."

"What would you have up do?"

"Train, I should think... In time they will turn their attention to Lothlorien. And when that happens we will have a very large problem."

* * *

><p>"I was wondering when we would meet, Lady Ithilwen." Gandalf greeted just as a very worried looking elleth left the room he had occupied just hours before.<p>

"I seem to be in quite a frightful disposition. You know my name but I do not have the pleasure if knowing your own." Luna replied softly.

Galdalf smiled, she was a sweet girl, Galdalf could tell by the way she carried herself. Her posture was neither aggressive nor closed, it was opened and although ready for an attack of some sort something told him she would not wish to harm another.

"Galdalf the Grey some call me." Galdalf said.

"A pleasure Mr. Gandalf the Grey." Luna curtsied slightly.

Gandalf chuckled. "It is my pleasure to meet you to be sure. I have heard much of you. Your mother is very proud of you, as is your father." Gandalf stood as he spoke.

Ithilwen smiled a little brighter and rocked back on her heels a bit. "I enjoy your company." Luna stated with a nod.

"Very forward are we?" It wasn't a condescending question.

"There is no point in lying. If I did not enjoy your company I would not wish to be in it. But if I were to tell you that, then I would hurt your feelings. If I were to say nothing at all and continue to place myself in your company then I myself would be miserable. Either way, lying would have ended up with one of us being absolutely miserable." Luna stated.

"I guess that is true." Gandalf chuckled.

"Would you mind if I sat?" Luna motioned to the empty portion of bench beside Mithrandir.

Gandalf smiled, nodded, and slid over allowing Ithilwen to take a seat. Luna smiled thankfully as she sat down, smoothing out her skirt as she did so. Luna casually flicked her wand, whispering the summoning spell under her breath, and then tucked her wand behind her ear for safe keeping much to Gandalf's amusement.


	5. Chapter 5

Dinner had been lovely... Well it had been close to lovely, Luna had wished there had been pudding. Chocolate pudding to be exact, but there hadn't been. Mithrandir was kind, he reminded her- in his own way- of Hermione. Luna figured it was his wisdom that reminded her so much of the bushy haired witch.

Luna smiled sadly as she donned her night clothes. A soft silk tunic and breeches a soft blue in color. Luna expertly braided back her hair, rolling her eyes as some of the silver strands fell in her face. She pulled her dressing robe tighter around her body as she stepped through the darkening room. It was oddly cool in the room, the floor beneath her feet was chilled and made her soft flesh tingle.

Luna quickly slipped into bed, her dressing robe draped across the chair beside her bed. Luna pulled the covers up around her shoulders, tucking her chin down, and closed her eyes. Sleep did not come easily, the blankets were to soft, the air smelt of something sweet instead of the tangy lemon smell that she was so used to, the air was to quiet. Luna missed the sound of her father's... Xeno's... Erratic movements and almost quiet swears when he knocked something over... But eventually sleep came and Luna welcomed it like an old fiend.

* * *

><p>Luna dreamt of a forest... Beautiful and green with trees that seemed to touch the sky and an air of tranquility. Looking down Luna frowned. She wore a dress of starlight, her hair fell around her shoulders, brushing her hips, and her feet were bare.<p>

Luna stepped off of stone path at her feet, leaves crunching silently beneath her feet. Luna carefully side stepped branches and leapt gracefully over logs. Deeper and deeper she went, her feet guiding her through the twisting trees and foliage. Luna stopped, her eyes landing on pale hair and a masculine figure.

Luna opened her mouth but the person was gone. Luna began to run, her chest tightening with excitement and a small amount of fear. The forest was getting darker, the trees older, the air filled with a sort of musty richness. Then she saw the man again and she slowed.

Luna stepped behind a tree, her pale hands splayed across rough moss covered bark. She swallowed thickly and gazed at the man before her. He was an elf- obviously- and even though she couldn't see his face, Luna was sure he was the most beautiful man she had ever laid eyes upon. He carried himself with a sort of royal grace and dignity. Luna's chest felt tight, like her heart was being tugged by invisible strings that threatened to rip her heart out of her chest... But not in a bad way.

Suddenly the elf turned, Luna sucked in a breath- partially because she hadn't had enough time to hide behind the tree, and partially because the elf before her was without a doubt stunning. There was a brief moment when dreamy silvery. eyes met the fiery blue eyes of the elf standing before her. She tensed, her hand twitching, yearning to feel her wand between her fingers, and then the elf smiled. He had a nice smile that made the harsh beauty of his face soften.

The elf held out his hand in her direction. "Tolo ar nin." The man's voice was a deep baritone. His smile wavered slightly when she hesitated, concern clouding his eyes.

Luna swallowed down her fear, a strange sense of warmth filling her chest as he reached out. The elf stepped closer, their fingers brushed. The warmth, the safety seemed to vanish from the air. Luna shivered violently as fog began to creep around them. The man said something Luna couldn't quite make out, his fingers wrapped around her wrist giving off a warmth that felt wrong in such a violently cold setting, and then he began to crumble away like dry sand through a strainer. A scream, terrified and pained ripped through the air.

* * *

><p>Luna woke with a choked gasp if fear. Screams pierced the air but they weren't her own. The door to her chambers burst open and Vanya followed by Haldir came rushing in.<p>

"What... What is happening?!" Luna questioned, flinging the covers away and grabbing her wand from the stand beside the bed.

"Someone is attacking Lothlorien," Vanya gasped, "Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn have sent us to protect you."

Luna looked at Haldir. "These attackers," Luna asked, "You saw them?"

"Yes. They wore black robes and silver masks... They carried wooden sticks..."

Luna ran. Death eaters... Death eaters... Her mind seemed to repeatedly scream those dreaded words un her ear. In all honesty Luna didn't want to fight anyone, she has just gotten out of one war, she didn't want to fight another one... But even though her heart clenched in dread and her gut twisted sickeningly Lyna kept running because she knew that if she did not then everyone in the Elven city would be dead by dawn.

Behind her the loud desperate pleads for her to return to her chambers faded and there was only the painful thrum of blood in her ears and the feel of her wad in her clenching grip. A terrible feeling built in the pit of her stomach. How many people had died already? How many would she not be able to save? Luna blinked back her tears as she flew down the stairs of the home tree.

Green and red lights flashed through the air as well as horrified screams. Luna swallowed heavily around the lump forming in her throat. Lune shot down the winding stairs, her long braid whipping against her back with several heavy thumps.

Luna found it horrific... How so many lives could be changed by a few words and a flash of green light. Luna yelped as a vibrant flash of green shot past her. Luna dropped, rolled to the left, and fired a well aimed reducto.

"Noro!" Luna exclaimed as she practically shoved a little girl in the opposite direction of he Death Eaters.

The elfling didn't need to be told twice, and with a cry of fear she ran. red and green decorated the air. Luna noticed a large pointy grey hat and swore a very colorful string of russian words. Then she was running and firing spells and trying to reach Mithrandir before it was to late.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Expelliarmus!"

Red and green collided. Luna ground her teeth together, her eyes and her attention never leaving the Death Eater. Luna was completely unaware of the elves watching them... They must have been a sight to behold. A princess in her night clothes fighting against a man in robes, red and green sparks flying through the air. Sweat beaded Luna's brow as she took a step forward, willing her spell to push the other back.

Glancing behind her to find that no one was standing near her, Luna rolled, barely missing getting hit by the killing curse, once she was safely on her feet Luna shot another spell at the Death Eater. Luna looked away from the immobilized Death Eater


	6. Chapter 6

Luna stared at the unconscious Death Eater laying haphazardly on the floor of the cell he had been thrown into. Luna looked at the Death Eater's wand. She should snap it really, break it in two and throw the pieces to the wind... But that would be a cruel fate, although, no cruller then the fates they had cast upon those they deemed unworthy. A pained groan made Luna look up at the Death Eater.

"I would not move so suddenly," Luna said with a kindness the man truly didn't deserve, "You took a nasty hit to the head."

The man glared at her. Luna found herself staring at his features. The man was unfamiliar, his hair was a mix between black and yellow, his eyes were bloodshot, and his skin had a papery appearance to it.

"You're the Lovegood bitch," The Death Eater spat, Haldir made a threatening move behind her but Luna ignored him as the Death Eater spoke again, "He's looking for you. The Dark Lord is gaining more followers as we speak. His power is growing and once he has you, he will be unstoppable."

Luna knelt so that she was eye level with the man. Her head tilted to the side in curiosity. "What do you mean, Mr. Sun?" Luna implored softly.

"Selwyn, you annoying little twit," The man spat, "And I don't answer to you."

Luna held up his wand, twirling it lazily between her fingers. Selwyn lunged forward only to be ripped back by the magical chains he had been bound to the wall with. "That dies not belong to you, you dirty blood treacherous whore!" Selwyn roared. An arrow went through his shoulder a moment later.

"You are lucky, filth, that Lady Ithilwen has ordered me not to kill you... Had she not been blessed with a gentle heart, I would not have made your death merciful." Haldir growled.

The Death Eater laughed. "By all means, kill me," Selwyn chuckled, "I'm already dead... I did not come here on some pointless death march, however fun those may be, I am here to tell that you don't stand a chance. The Death Eaters you brought have gathered."

"Any that I know?" Luna asked.

Selwyn looked at her with amused smugness. His thin, colorless lips twisting just so that it gave him an air of arrogance. He didn't look good, healthy... His skin was paling and his eyes were becoming cloudy and filmy, spittle dripped from his chin and down his neck.

"The Carrow twins... Antonin Dolohov... Fenrir Greyback... And Mulciber," Selwyn's vouce was fading away, yet he laughed darkly and met Luna's eyes, "You better watch your back, you stupid little bitch, because they're coming for you."

Selwyn broke off with a violent wet cough. Blood sprayed across the ground and dribbled from his mouth. Luna felt her stomach churn at the sight of the blood, it appeared black in the torchlight. Luna dropped to her knees, fear contorting her pretty features. Haldir gently pulled her to her feet and away from the heavy steel bars.

"There is nothing you can do." The March Warden whispered.

Luna allowed herself to be led from the room, her stomach twisting and churning like a sea during a storm. Selwyn's laugh followed them through the darkness of the all but empty prison, only stopping when the heavy wooden door slammed shut behind them.

* * *

><p>"All are extremely dangerous," Luna stated, her eyes locking on the Death Eater's wand in her hand, "Alect and Amycus Carrow, Antonin Dolohov, and Fenrir Greyback are possibly the worst, however."<p>

"How so? Are not all of these 'Death Eaters' dangerous?" Elrond implored, although his voice was chilled, there was a certain fondness to it whenever he spoke to Luna... She suspected- and Mithrandir agreed- that it was because of her relation to his wife.

"All knives are dangerous, others are just sharper and deadlier." Luna replied.

"What makes these particular beings more dangerous?" Gandalf asked, worry creeping into his twinkling eyes.

"The Carrow twins, they are skilled in the dark arts, although not very intelligent... Alecto, she enjoys torturing people and she doesn't need a reason to do so, and Amycus... Well, he's not much better." Luna uttered softly, her mind trailing to memories she didn't want to remember.

"You have had dealings with them?"

"When Dumbledore, the headmaster at my old school, died the Carrow twins took over... Alecto was our muggle studies professor as well as the head of discipline. Amycus was the Dark Arts professor. Several students were torchered by the two... Myself included."

The room tensed, but it was Elrond who looked angrier then the others and Luna found herself wondering why. She swallowed uncomfortably and continued.

"Antonin Dolohov has a knack for dueling. He is merciless, without pity or remorse... He was one of Voldemort's oldest Death Eaters... They went to Hogwarts together, you see. He is highly skilled at nonverbal magic. He tends to favor a dark spell that shoots purple fire at a person. His knowledge in the Dark Arts makes him dangerous."

Luna ran her hand through the thick mess that was her hair. She was tempted to cut it all off... But decided against it.

"But it is Fenrir I would be most concerned about." She sighed.

"And why is that." Celeborn questioned.

"He is a werewolf, perhaps the most savage alive... He regards it as his mission to bite and contaminate as many people as possible; he wanted to create enough werewolves to overrun the wizards, I cannot be sure that is the case now, however," Luna took a deep breath, "He personalizes in children. Bit them young, he says, raise them away from their parents... Raise them to hate regular wizards."

"He attacks children?" Haldir repeated, a look of disgust twisting his features.

"Yes, he does not care whether they are children or no... But children are preferable... Less likely to put up a fight and easier to tain. Quite savage, really."

"What of this, Muliber?" Elrond implored.

There was a pregnant pause and then Luna spoke, "I have only seen him once before... A brief glance when I was fighting in the DoM... My apologies, Department of Mysteries. All I know is that he is skilled with the Imperious Curse."

Galadriel stood. She looked older then she usually appeared to be... Her eyes were shaded by worry, and her lips were tilted downward in a frown. She still appeared to be very beautiful.

"Haldir escort Ithilwen to her chambers."

Luna sighed tiredly and stood, softly bidding everyone good evening before slipping from the room. She and Haldir walked in silence to her bed chambers where Haldir left her with kind words and a formal bow. Luna sighed tiredly as she entered her room, her bed looked quite appealing. Luna didn't bother to removed her shoes as she fell face first onto the bed. Luna barely managed to put her wand- as well as Selwyn's- on the table beside her bed before sleep took her.


	7. Chapter 7

Luna dreamt of him again, the golden haired elf with the chilling blue eyes. It was strange, but Luna was used to strange things happening to her. She had dreamt of a world consumed by darkness, the only light coming from the horizon. She had run towards it, desperate for the warmth of that light. She had reached it, of course, but where she had expected a sun to be there was a man. Tall and proud and radiating warmth. She had hesitated, arms crossed, hands rubbing at her arms for warmth. Then the elf was there, holding her, warming her with his light, kissing her cheek, and whispering sweet words of endearment in her ears. She had looked up, face tilting back so she could see his face... It was a beautiful face. He leaned down, she shifted onto her toes, her eyes flickered, there was a soft brush of his lips on hers and then... She woke up.

Breathing deeply, Luna stood and made her way to her armoire. She practically ripped a tunic and a pair of breeches out of her armoire. She stripped out of her nightgown, pulled on the doe skin breeches- nearly falling over in the process- and then tugged e tunic on over her hair. Then she sat down in front of her vanity and gazed into the mirror, her hands itched for a paint brush or any other drawing equipment she could get her hands on. Luna smiled wistfully at the memory of Hermione's last christmas present to Luna, it had been a set of Oil Pastels, each was its own unique color and Luna had loved them all equally. She had loved the stains it left on the tips of her fingers, loved the way the color stood out vibrantly against the parchment she had used, loved the way it had smelled. They had been one of the most beautiful things she had owned, sadly they were gone now. Luna glanced behind her at the bookcase. Could there possibly be an empty book? One she could use for her drawings? She almost laughed at herself.

"How silly of me," she whispered, "To be worrying over something so petty when there is a war brewing..."

Luna shook her head, grabbed her hair comb, and began to try and detangle her wild bed hair. Eventually she gave up, there were still strands that stuck up awkwardly on her head and snarled knots she couldn't get out but she didn't care for her looks. Luna made her way to the door, bare footed, and dreamy eyed. The door to her bed chambers clicked shut behind her and Luna began skipping down the stairs.

Her mind reeled, perhaps she could transfigure some leaves into a book, and she could turn a regular quill into one that never ran out of ink. A smile bright as moonlight graced her features.

"Princess Ithilwen, what has happened to make you so happy?" Haldir implored, appearing beside her.

Lua didn't even jump, she merely looked up at the taller elf and smiled even brighter. "Nothing, mellon nin." She breathed before skipping off. Luna found herself in the forest, she quickly ran to a tree, gathered some leaves, and pulled her wand from behind her ear. Luna quickly arranged the leaves, then took a deep breath. She raised her wand, concentrating on the pile of leaved, she pointed the polished

stick and began to move her arm in a counter clockwise circle. Blue lights danced around the leaves, the pretty emerald objects began to stretch and thicken, binding themselves together and darkening into soft leather and textured parchment. Luna clapped excitedly and put her wand back behind her ear. The book was heavy and warm, the leather had little blue jewels embedded in it, and there was a silken red ribbon waiting to be used as a page marker.

"That is quite impressive."

Luna started slightly then smiled as she turned to see her brother-in-law standing before her, head tilted to the side, eyebrows drawn together, and lips pursed in such a way that it made him look more pained then interested.

"It is quite a simple transfiguration spell." Luna spoke softly as she stood, book tucked under her arm.

"Have you seen the library?" Elrond implored.

"Oh yes, it is lovely... But this is not a book one reads from." Luna smiled.

"Of course, forgive me."

Luna waved him away and stepped up beside him so that they were several feet apart. "Would you like to stay? I have no further need to be out here at the moment. Would you like to accompany me back?" Luna questioned kindly.

"There is something I would like to ask you..." Elrond stated while offering his arm. Luna shifted her book to the other arm and took the offered appendage.

"Ask away." Luna chirped.

Elrond's eyebrow raised questioningly but he just dismissed her odd way of speaking and started taking leisurely steps through the trees. "Last night, when you said you had been tortured... How is it that you have not fallen into despair?

"I am sure there is a reason for such violent questions." Luna breathed easily.

"My wife... She was captured and tortured. She has left these lands for she could no longer find happiness here."

Luna pursed her lips. "Every person is different. I know people who have withstood torture for little under an hour and I know those who have been driven to insanity under only a mere ten minutes of torment. Wizards of my old home lands use a spell to torture a person. It creates the illusion of pain, yet there is none. It is all in the mind."

"How is it that you are still sane then?" Elrond asked not unkindly.

Luna looked at him, her dreamy eyes held an eerie intensity to them. "I had something to fight for... Elrond, people die and people live. I cannot give you the answers you wish to hear. I did not know my sister, but... To be tortured is a horrid afair that I would not wish on even my greatest enemies."

Elrond was about to speak but they had reached the home tree. Luna slipped away from him and made her way up the stairs that curved around the home tree. She stepped onto a bridge that connected the home tree to another tree. She walked across the bridge and then she pulled herself up onto one of the trees thick branches. Luna sat with her back pressed against the trunk of the tree and her foot dangling out over the side. She summoned a quill, charmed it, and flipped the book to the first open page.

Luna began to drawn. a series of curves and straight lines, layers of ink to create shadowing. Luna hadn't realized she had drawn the elf from her dreams until his likeness was splayed across the page. It was almost frightening, the realistic intensity of his face on the page, his eyes stared at nothing and everything.

"Lady Ithilwen! Lady Ithilwen!"

Luna carefully shut her book and swing herself from her perch. The elven guard jumped slightly as she landed in a crouch. She stood, straightened her tunic, and smiled.

"Yes?" She chirped.

"Lady Galadriel, she demands your presence... There has been a disturbance."

Luna nodded, turned, and took off to find her mother. Luna wondered what could have possibly happened. Had the Death Eaters attacked a village? A kingdom? How many had died if that had happened? She was turning a corner when she nearly ran into her mother.

"Naneth has something happened?" She implored.

"Do you know anyone named Alastor Moody and Neville Longbottom?"

"Yes, yes I do." Luna said, her excitement and doubt clear.

Galadriel pursed her lips. "Then it would appear you shall be traveling to the Green Woods."

Luna's eyebrows drew together in confusion. Alastor was dead, he had died... His death had been announced in the Prophet, she had heard Harry speaking of him... There was no way... Luna felt a little bubble of hope swell in her breast. Maybe he hadn't died. Maybe he had been hit by a spell that had sent him to this world like her, but then how had Neville been sent to Middle Earth? Luna bit her lip as she and her mother made their way toward Luna's chambers to pack her needed essentials for the journey.

* * *

><p>Ok so yes I know that Moody died- sadly- and I know that there's no coming back from death but I really want him to be in this fic- even if for a brief moment- because Luna can't do this alone. There's just no way she can fight the Death Eaters I've chosen and Sauron at the same time without being Mary Sue and I don't want that because it isn't realistic. So I'm bringing in the Big Guns- Moody- and lovable-shy-courageous-selfless Neville. I think that as a team they would kick Death EaterDark Lord ass.


	8. Chapter 8

Luna gnawed on her lip as she followed her mother and father to the stables. Luna shouldered the travel bag she had given an extension charm So that she could fit more then just one thing in the bag.

The stables were beautiful and the horses were even more so. Luna smiled and skipped after her parents, who had made their way to the back of the stables. Luna smiled and pushed a silvery blonde lock of hair behind her ear.

"Ithilwen," Celeborn said, motioning to the horse in the stall beside him, "This is Merin, he will take you to the Green Woods."

Luna looked at the horse. He was tall, 16.1 hands from his whither to the ground, his mane was just as black as the rest of his muscular body. Luna swallowed, blinked, then smiled. Merin was an intimidating beast but Luna had seen Thresals since she was young, and no matter how frightening or intimidating they were beautiful. Luna turned to her father and threw her arms around him, startling the elder male with the sudden burst of affection.

"Thank you." Luna breathed before pulling away. Celeborn smiled kindly and nodded.

"You will be traveling with Haldir to the Castle of King Oropher, once you have been safely established in the castle he shall return." Galadriel said.

Luna blinked owlishly. "Will I not be returning?" She implored.

Galadriel smiled, her slender fingers brushed against the side of her daughter's pale face. "I have a feeling that in time, you will not want to..." Galadriel said.

Luna's lips pursed, her eyebrows furrowed, and her eyes sparkled dreamily. She said nothing though and stepped away to allow someone to take the horse from the stall.

When Merin and another horse, golden in color, were saddled Haldir stepped into the stables. He wore a tunic and doe skin breeches, nothing like his usual armor, and he had a few weapons strapped to his body. He greeted his Lord and Lady very formally then turned to Luna with a smile.

"Good afternoon, Princess."

"Good afternoon, Mr. Moon." Luna chuckled.

Haldir's lip curves up, then he turned and walked off. Luna turned to her mother and father. "I shall miss you." Luna said, her eyes gleamed sadly in the sunlight.

"We shall always be with you... Now off you go. You must reach The Green Woods as soon as possible." Galadriel said before pulling the young elfling into a tight hug.

"Alámenë." Galadriel whispered as she pulled away.

Luna smiled. Go with our blessing. The words rang in her head as she said goodbye to her father. They two elves followed Luna to Merin's side where an elf helped her into the saddle- she could have done it herself... if she had wanted to dislocate the poor creature's whither- and watched as Haldir and Luna trotted out of the stables. Galadriel looked at Celeborn.

"Ithilwen shall be safe," she assured quietly, "He will not allow harm to fall upon our child."

Celeborn glaced at his wife. "So we shall see." He murmured.

* * *

><p>Luna stared wide eyed as she and Haldir led their horses through the forest of Lorien, and into the land beyond the borders of said lands. Luna had never seen anything so beautiful... Well, aside from Hogwarts. The land was green and blue and pure in a way the lands of England weren't.<p>

"Have you ever traveled to the Green Woods?" Luna implored.

"Several times, yes." Haldir stated.

"Do you think I shall like it?"

Haldir smiled a he glanced over at her. He adjusted his grip on his reins with a graceful ease and slowed his golden horse to a lazy trott. "I believe so," He commented, "Though I cannot be sure how you will take to the royals. His grace is just, a good king, his son..."

"Is he not kind?"

"You must understand Ithilwen, I have been friends with the prince since my boy hood years. He is not unkind, Mellon nin, he is merely distrustful of strangers."

"That must be very bothersome." Luna breathed.

"What do you mean? Have you not been wary of strangers?" Haldir asked.

"... I am wary of Death Eaters I have not met, I am wary of ministry workers, dark lords, and Orcs for I know they have done evil with no second thought... But no, I have never been wary of a stranger for they have never given me reason to do so."

If Haldir was surprised he made no indication of being so... If anything he had expected her answer. There was something about the dreamy eyed blonde that captivated you, it made her rather dangerous.

The two travelled for hours, past cool streams and rolling hills. At one point Luna had started humming, a strange tune that was neither sad nor happy. It was eerie. Haldir glanced at her but Luna's attention was diverted to the cloud of black smoke rising over the hills in the far distance. The humming slowly dwindled away and Luna's lips parted sadly.

"What is it?" Haldir asked, concerned for his friend.

"Death Eaters... I can feel the residue of their magic... We had best be moving on." There was a sadness in her voice as he turned her horse away and began walking in the direction of the Green Wood. Haldir followed beside her.

* * *

><p>Hours pasted in the blink of an eye. The sun had begun to set and the moon had appeared in the sky, shedding its glamour and donning its cloak of darkness. It wasn't until the only light in the sky came from the silvery moon that Haldir decided to make camp. Luna easily slid out of her saddle and landed on the ground with a thump. Together the two elves set up their camp, rolling out sleeping bags and building a small fire. Luna sat directly in front of the orange flame.<p>

"Would you like to tell stories? In the lands I grew up in, people would sit around and tell stories... I was not sure if the same concept applied here but I would be fun, would it not?" Luna tapped her chin.

Haldir smiled, leaned back against his travel bag, and nodded. "I would enjoy that. Would you like to start?"

Luna tapped her chin, suddenly she snapped, a smile spreading over her face. "There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure.

And Death spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.

So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful that any in existence: a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree in the banks of the river, and fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother.

Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.

And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.

Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way, and they did so, talking with wonder of the adventure they had had, and admiring Death's gifts.

In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination.

The first brother traveled on for a week or more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible.

That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden, upon his bed. The thief took the wand and, for good measure, slit the oldest brother's throat.

And so Death took the first brother for his own.

Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him.

Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as truly to join her.

And so Death took the second brother for his own.

But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and as equals, they departed this world."

Haldir blinked. "That could not possibly be real." He stated.

"But of course it is a true story. I have seen the wand and the cloak, I have been in the presence of the descendants of the brothers... Besides, all stories derive from truth." Luna countered.

Haldir shrugged. "True enough... Tell me, Ithilwen, would you wish to be master of death?"

"No," Luna stated without hesitation, "I would never wish to be... Can you imagine? Never being able to die? Watching the world and those you love slip through time until they are nothing but names that you cannot recall? faces who's features are so blurred they smear together? It would be such a lonely existence."

"I forget that you are an elfling... You speak as if you've lived a thousand years and then some." Haldir said.

"How old must one be to be seen as an adult?" Luna questioned.

"For the elves it is fifty years of age."

"Wizards reach adulthood at the age of seventeen. That is the year when they are deemed mature enough to have the tracer on their magic removed." Luna chirped happily.

"Then you are less an elfling then some might think," Haldir confessed before turning his gaze toward the sky, "We really must be getting to sleep. We have a long day ahead of us if we are to reach the Green Woods before night fall."

Luna nodded once then with a yawn she crawled into her sleeping bag. Luna gazed up at the sky hours after Haldir had fallen asleep. It was as if someone had cut hundreds of thousands of holes into black fabric that had then been held in front of a wand as someone whispered Lumos. It was beautiful. That night, however, she dreamt of the man again, and as he held her in his arms on a bed of summer grass he whispered something in her ear that she couldn't make out due to the quietness of his voice but his tone made her heart soar and she slept with a smile on her face.


	9. Chapter 9

Luna woke before Haldir. She quietly rolled her sleeping bag up and shoved it into her pack before making her way over to Merin, who nickered softly at her. "Hush now." Luna giggled as she pulled a carrot from her saddle bag and gave it to the horse. Luna pulled her wand out after that and preformed a quick refreshening spell before turning to Haldir.

"Wakey wakey." She sang as she gently shook the elf's shoulder. Haldir woke with a start, barely avoiding hitting Luna in the with his own as he sat up. "... Next time I will use a stinging hex..." Luna mumbled pleasantly.

"Good morning..." Haldir greeted.

"The morning tis grand." Luna agreed with a posh accent.

"What time-"

"An hour past sun rise." Luna stated.

With a groan Haldir managed to pull himself to his feet. Luna held out a flask of water and some bread. "You look a bit peckish." Luna stated before skipping off.

Once Haldir had been fed and the horses watered the two elves took off at a fast gallop. Luna laughed gleefully, pulling ahead of Haldir's own horse. Her hair billowed out behind her like a cloak of white gold. Luna giggled happily and turned back to look at Haldir. Luna stopped and allowed the older male to catch up.

"I have a feeling that if we were to race, I would win." Luna joked.

"Perhaps." Haldir agreed with a chuckle.

"How long will you be staying once we reach the Green Woods?" Luna questioned.

"A couple of days at most. I really must be returning as soon as possible." Haldir stated.

"Then you will be able to meet Alastor and Neville." Luna smiled.

"I look forward to it." Haldir replied.

The two slipped into a comfortable silence. They rode for hours, Luna's legs were beginning to cramp and for once she wished for a broom... She had always loved flying. Really, really missed flying. Luna carefully adjusted the reins into one hand and then twisted her wand into the bun she had made.

"We shall be arriving in the Green Woods within the hour, it would be best if you wore this." Haldir said while throwing an overly large cloak at her.

Luna caught it and carefully threw it over her shoulders, pulling the hood up over her head so that it cast a long shadow over her face. "Why must I wear this?" Luna implored softly.

"When we enter the Green Woods we will be closer to Sauron's strong hold in Dol Guldur. You will be safer if you wear that." Haldir stated tensely.

Luna almost told him that she could always throw up a glamour charm but something about dressing up in order to hide was thrilling to the point that Luna didn't want to give up. Luna slowed to a walk beside Haldir.

An hour later Luna found herself staring up at a large expanse of towering trees. The Green Woods, Luna swallowed softly and gripped her wand beneath her cloak. Luna couldn't describe the feeling in her gut, it was like a cord had been tied around her stomach and was pulled so tautly that it could snap at any moment if Luna didn't head into the forest. Luna looked at Haldir.

"After you? I would go but I am not familiar with these parts..."

Haldir nodded once and urged his horse on ahead of Luna's. The Istari swallowed hard then with a slight nod she followed the older male into the forest. The forest... It was, familiar to Luna. Like a vague memory from a dream.

The two elves kept extremely quiet as they crept along the stone path. Merin shifted uneasily, only calming enough to continue on when Luna placed a steady hand upon his sinewy neck. Haldir turned from the path suddenly and Luna hesitated before tentatively urging Merin after him.

Haldir easily led them through the forest, deeper ad deeper until they came across another stone path. "I did not wish to risk an ambush." Haldir whispered under his breath as he led his own horse back onto the stone path.

"State your business." A man barked.

Luna jumped, her large silver eyes shooting around in a desperate search for the man who had spoken. She saw them of course, two male elves standing rigidly before a grand oak door. Each male held a bow aimed at their heads. Luna glanced at Haldir, he was swinging himself out of his saddle, their eyes locked, and then Luna began to dismount as well.

"Greetings, my name is Haldir of Lorien, and this is my traveling companion Lady Ithilwen of Lorien. We have been sent by the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien to see King Oropher." Haldir stated.

The two elves glanced suspiciously at them. Luna didn't blame them for their distrust on the account of being in the middle of a war and being so close to the enemy's stronghold. Luna stepped forward, gently pulling the hood of her cloak down, allowing silken waves to tumble over her shoulders.

"Please, I can assure you that we were sent with nothing but the best of intentions. My mother sent me here to collect the two men you found. One is tall with blonde hair and a fake eye, the other is shorter with dark hair and might have a toad with him... Both would have been carrying wooden sticks." Luna explained.

The two elves gazed at her, studied her with questioning eyes, before nodding and pulling the doors open. Haldir quickly led Luna through the doors. "Did you know that would convince them?" He asked softly.

"No... No I did not." Luna breathed, her eyes wide as she gazed around at the castle interior that surrounded her.

It was the most beautiful thing Luna had ever seen. A work of art so beautiful it made all other artistic works seem bland. There were pillars carved from living stone, lanterns, so beautiful in craftsmanship it made Luna smile, hung from walls and pillars,the floors beneath their feet were made of polished stone, and it reminded Luna of home. But the air was tense and filled with sorrow and heartbreak.

"Na vadui."

Luna turned to see a tall elf with golden hair and hazel eyes walking toward them. He wore robes like her father had and a crown of emerald tree leaves. Oropher, that was king Oropher of the Woodland realm. Luna and Haldir quickly placed their balled hands over their hearts.

"Êl síla erin lû e-govaned vîn." Haldir greeted kindly.

Oropher turned his attention to Luna. "You must be Lady Ithilwen. It is my pleasure to meet you." There was something in his eyes, a sparkle of amusement that gave the hint that there was something he wasn't saying.

"The pleasure is mine, I assure you." Luna replied.

Oropher smirked lightly then turned to Haldir. "I suppose you would like to see them? The elder male has given us quite some trouble."

"I believe it would put Lady Ithilwen's mind at ease if she were to see them."

Oropher bowed his head. "If you would follow me."

* * *

><p>"Mad Eye," Neville groaned, "You aren't getting through that steel with a butter knife."<p>

"I can sure as hell try!" Alastor barked, working harder to wedge the knife deeper into the notch he had been able to make in the metal bars of their cell... After three days.

Neville rubbed his forehead. How had this happened anyway? One minute he had been battling Death Eaters and the next he was in a hospital wing with three very attractive women standing over him, talking in a language he couldn't make out... And then they threw him in the cell with Mad Eye... To his utterly delighted surprise.

"Cowards they are," Mad Eye snarled, "Stealing a man's wand for no reason."

"You stupefied three people." Neville reminded.

Mad Eye stopped, and turned to look at the younger man, his enchanted eye shooting around like a, well... A Mad Eye. "Do you understand that those people were holding sword points at me?"

"You crash landed in their... Where ever... I think they'd be a little un trustful. Just a thought." Neville stated.

"Well, it appears someone has reached the end of their patience."

Both occupants of the cell whipped around. Neville smiled at the silvery haired, silver eyed beauty standing at the front of the cell. "Luna!" He exclaimed excitedly, rushing clumsily to the cell door.

"I don't understand, how are you here? And what are you wearing?"

"It's a long story." Luna blushed a bit from embarrassment. Neville waved his hand and reached through the bars to awkwardly pat his friend's shoulder.

"It's al-"

"Are you getting us out of here, girl?" Mad Eye barked.

Luna held up a finger before spinning on her heel and skipping up to the two tall- extremely tall- men. She waved her hands as she spoke in her typically, adorably, Luna-y way. It was as if she were explaining something, Luna kept pointing back at the cell and talking frantically. The man with a leaf hat nodded once and Luna skipped up to them with a smile.

"As of right now you," she pointed at Mad Eye, "Are the official defense against the Death Eaters professor... So basically you're going to be training a bunch of Auros... That aren't magical... And you!" Luna directed a slender finger at Neville, "You're going to to be our official Herbologist-healer... Person. But all in all, we, as a team will be kicking Death Eater arse!"

"L-Luna!" Neville stuttered, surprised by the sudden curse.

Luna blushed a deep red. "I was just trying it out." She mumbled before pulling her wand out and magically opening the cell.

"I don't like it." Mad Eye growled.

"You don't have a choice." Neville groaned.

"Come, King Oropher will have a servant show you to your chambers but you really must learn Elvish. So we need to preform a quick linguistics charm."

Mad Eye nodded gruffly, and Neville just nodded Before pulling the younger girl into a quick hug. It had been years since he had had feelings of anything other than a familiar nature for Luna so the hug held no intimacy and lasted no longer then twenty seconds. "I missed you, Loony." He stated fondly.

"I missed you too, Neville... And you as well Mr. Moody." Luna breathed.

"Yeah, yeah," Mad Eye growled, "Enough mushy stuff. I wanna get thos done quick as possible, ya hear?"

"Yes, Mr. Moody." The two magical beings chimed together.

With a largely exaggerated roll of a fake eye Moody limped over to Oropher and Haldir with a scowl, silently cursing- but not meaning it by any means- the little blonde witch who had roped him into wha. He was about to do.


	10. Chapter 10

"I can't believe you roped me into this." Mad Eye growled as he marched around the training grounds where he would be training not only the elves but Luna and Neville as well.

"Oh, I don't know," Neville mused to himself, twirling his relatively new wand in his thumb and forefinger, "It could be fun..."

"Besides," Luna commented, "In the end of things you will be able to go after Death Eaters."

Mad Eye scowled but kept quiet after that. No matter what, an Auror never looses his hate for a Death Eater. Never. Luna lazily flicked her silvery blonde hair over her shoulder. She crossed her doe skin covered legs and leaned back against the wall. Neville smiled kindly at her, and pulled at his emerald green tunic.

"Luna... Are you sure the linguistic charm will work?" Neville asked.

"It should," Luna mused, "Though, I have never had use of it here so I could be wrong."

"Right... You're some sort of princess... Aren't you?" Neville replied.

"Something to that extent, yes." Luna agreed.

"... So doesn't that mean you'll have to marry a prince? I mean, I don't care or anything... Well, no, no I do care but not for _that_ reason. It's just... I want you to be happy and if getting married doesn't make you happy..."

"Oh for the love of Merlin." Mad Eye grumbled as he watched the two.

"Well, I shall inform you of a marriage arrangement if one is arranged." Luna chuckled.

The two teenagers lapsed into a comfortable silence. Luna, however, did begin to wonder what her parents would do. It wasn't unheard of to arrange marriages between houses to form allies and powerful ties, and since Luna was a princess it would be top priority to marry her off to a noble or prince... Speaking of which... She hadn't seen the Elven Prince of the Green Woods, which disappointed her a bit, but he was patrolling and security of the people was top priority in a war.

An hour or so later Luna an Neville were ushered to stand by the door as elves, both male and female began filing into the training room. Luna's eyes raked over the tall beings as they carefully arranged themselves around the room. Neville turned red beside her and when Luna followed his gaze she saw a tall brown haired angel smiling at him. Luna smirked kindly.

"Listen closely," Mad Eye barked, "I am not here to be your friend, I am not here to drink ale with you and sing around a fire of happiness. I am here to keep you from being killed by something you are unprepared for." Mad Eye barked, his enchanted eye shooting every which way.

Mad Eye turned suddenly, his leather over coat flying out behind him, motioned at Luna and Neville, then with a flick of his wand and a mumble incantation a long platform built itself in the middle of the room. With a smile Luna skipped up to the platform with Neville following closely behind.

"As you may know, Luna, Neville, and myself are wizards... And a witch. Fortunately for you, we are the 'Good Guys.' we will not attack you for batting your pretty eyes at us. The Death Eaters, who have allied themselves with Sauron, will however. It is my duty as an Auror to make sure that these individuals are captured. Your duty is to survive when we," Mad Eye motioned at himself and the two teens, "Are not around to save your arses."

"Mr. Moody," Luna called, drawing the older man's attention, "You are making them uncomfortable."

Mad Eye scowled unpleasantly at the elves then barked out an order to Neville and Luna who quickly climbed up onto the platform. "These two will demonstrate the kind of magic you will be facing," Mad Eye growled then turned his attention to the two on the platform, "You are not allowed to use the three unforgivable curses. When you are ready."

Luna and Neville bowed to one another, eyes never leaving the other, and then Neville's arm shot up. "Stupify!" He yelled. Luna gasped softly.

"Ennervate!"

The vibrant red light flew away, cracking into a stone pillar. Mad Eye barely gave it a second glance while the astonished elves in the room cried out in shocked surprise.

"Flipendo!"

Luna yelped softly as the spell hit her in the chest. Her body twisted through the air, slamming painfully into a wall, elves cried out in out rage, many even made a threatening move toward Neville only to be stopped by Mad Eye. Luna pushed herself up, wiping blood from her cracked lip.

"Avifors." She chirped, her wand flicking toward Neville.

Neville paled as the small stones under his feet turned into tiny yellow birds. The birds shot into the air, a screech left their beaks, and like tiny little bomber planes the birds flew at Neville. Once Neville had destroyed the tiny little birds he turned to Luna with a scowl. "Was that necessary?" He gripped.

"Enough chatter!" Mad Eye barked.

Luna smiled sweetly- although it did hold a certain amount if wickedness, and threw a spell at Neville. Soon lights and objects of all different colors and shapes were hurtling through the air like a storm. Mad Eye even threw up a barrier to keep any wayward spells from hitting the elves, who watched in amazmnent behind him. It wasn't until one of Luna's well aimed spells hit Neville, temporarily binding his feet to the floor, which in turn, caused him to fall.

"Look around you," Mad Eye commanded, stepping forward to stand by luna who was helping Neville to his feet, "This was merely a duel... A training stimulation if you will. The spells these two were using caused only minimal damage. Imagine what the Death Eaters could do. This is what you are dealing with. This, is not child's play. I am here to train warriors, if you want out leave before it's to late."

Only a few elves slipped from the room. Others remained, looking around at the battered columns and smoldering floors. Luna wiped the sweat from her brow and smiled reassuringly. "Alastor Moody was one of the best Aurors alive. If anyone is going to train you to fight against the Death Eaters, you want it to be this man." Luna chimed in while absently repairing her damage clothing.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later Mad Eye had set up a large table where all of the elves had been told to gather as he, Luna, and Neville informed them of different types of spells, hexes, jinxes, and curses. Luna discreetly watched Neville and the dark haired elleth as they spoke, a small smile curling her lips upward.<p>

"There are three unforgivable curses. They are: The killing curse, the Cruciatrtus curse, and the Imperius curse. These three spells will be used by the Death Eaters-"

"Have you ever used them, Lord Mad Eye?" An elf asked.

"No, never," Luna stated, glancing at Neville and Mad Eye, "We have all had... Unpleasant encounters with these curses. We do not, nor shall we ever use them."

"They are dark magic. And we do not dabble in the dark arts." Mad Eye snarled.

"I apologize," the mad stated, "I was merely curious."

Luna remained silent for a moment. The room tensed and Mad Eye touched his enchanted fake eye. "I lost my eye fighting a Death Eater, I was on a mission. Simple enough, go in, get the hostages out, capture the Death Eaters... It didn't end well. I lost half of my garrison and my eye."

The elves stared at the enchanted blue eye. Their own wide with horror or disgust or both. It was odd to watch them try and come to grips with the fact that there were wizards willing to kill a child and not bat an eyelash in the dying child's direction... It was odd because Luna had grown up to that kind of magic. To a world where not all magical beings were fair and just and kind.

The doors to the room threw themselves open, beating against the walls with a thunderous boom. There was a soldier standing at the door, his face was pale and bruised along his jaw. He spoke almost to quickly to understand, and even with her natural knowledge of the language Luna could only make out certain things. Patrolling, Death Eater, an ambush, a dragon... An injured prince. Luna turned to Mad Eye.

"The Death Eaters attacked the prince while he was patrolling. He's alive but I cannot be sure for how much longer." Luna said, switching over to English so that only Neville and Mad Eye could understand.

"You're dismissed!" Mad Eye barked out in elvish before grabbing Luna and Neville's shoulders and leading them after the elf standing at the doorway.

* * *

><p>The healing chambers were in a state of complete disarray. Healers ran around the room in a desperate attempt to find all of the things they would need to heal their prince. Luna immediately shot into the fray, weaving her way around the elves and yo the bed where many had gathered around including Oropher and Haldir.<p>

"My god.." Mad Eye breathed upon seeing the body lying in the bed.

The prince had been rolled onto his side, exposing the burnt flesh left behind by the Death Eaters. Luna knew the curse, a nasty little piece of magic that would be easy enough to heal in the prince didn't succumb to his wounds first.

"Can you help him?" Oropher questioned.

Mad Eye turned to Neville. "I need you to get the Blood-Replenishing potion, and the burn-healing paste from my chambers. It's locked, have your wand with you... And get the Calming Draught and the Deflating Draught while you're at it!" He yelled after Neville.

Luna turned to the Prince, his eyes were closed and his teeth were gnashed together. He must have been in a great deal of pain, even in sleep. Luna's hand reached on and pulled gently on the slightly injured shoulder, causing the prince to roll onto his back. His shirt had been removed upon entering the healing ward, and as a result Luna could clearly see the small burns that lined his chest. Bright scarlet skin and popped blisters lined his defined upper body. Luna looked at Oropher.

"These were made by dragons, correct?" She implored while pushing heavy curls from her face.

"Yes, albeit, a rather small one." the soldier from earlier stated.

"He'll be just fine... A few days in that bed, a couple of potions, and a lot of rest and he'll be good as new." Mad Eye stated, as soothingly as possible... It wasn't as soothing as something Luna could have come up with but it worked well enough.

"I've got it!"

Luna turned and sprinted over to Neville and took some of the jars and vials from his hands. The two teens quickly went over to the bed as Mad Eye commanded everyone but Oropher and Haldir to leave. Luna went to work uncorking vials and removing the lid from a large jar filled with orange paste., when she was done she began handing them to Mad Eye, who expertly poured the potions into the prince's mouth and made him swallow with as little amount of pain as possible. Luna went to hand him the Burn-Healing Paste but Mad Eye held up a calloused hand.

"You'd best be doing that girl," Mad Eye barked, "You're less likely to cause him pain."

Luna nodded once then dipped her fingers into the jar. Thick orange paste covered her fingers, threatening to drip onto the bed and floor. Luna started on the chest firs. Seeing as to how the burns were smaller and not as bad as the one on his face. Luna's paste covered fingers ghosted over the bared chest, his skin was almost fiery hit beneath her paste covered fingers. When his chest was covered in the orange paste Luna turned to Mad Eye ad Neville. "You may need to hold him..." The two men nodded and carefully took hold of his arms and shoulders.

Luna nodded once and began to smear the sweet smelling paste over the prince's face burns. The prince thrashed, his hands clawed at the bloodied sheets beneath him, and a pained yelp slipped past his lips yet his eyes remained closed. Luna pulled away when the left portion of the prince's face and neck was covered in paste.

"There's nothing more I can do." Luna stated as she wiped her hands on a cloth Neville handed her.

"He'll have a scar when he heals, but it can easily be concealed... In case you were wondering..." Neville scratched the back of his neck.

Luna carefully seated herself in the chair beside the sick bed. "I shall remain here, there is no point in waiting for someone to awaken when it may be hours before they do so. You have a realm to protect and they need to teach your soldiers... Besides, your son will be disoriented when he awakens. He may become violent, it would be best if I were here."

The occupants of the room drew silent. "Very well," Oropher hesitated in saying, "Though I must ask you to summon me should he awaken."

"I would expect nothing less."

Oropher nodded once, and as the others left the room The Elven King placed his hand on his son's shoulder. "I should have made him stay and greet you when I heard from the Lady Galadriel that you were arriving... He was adamant about making sure Sauron's forces were not moving toward our kingdom."

"There was no way you could have known," Luna replied, "There was no way to predict such an attack. Do no blame yourself for something you cannot control."

Oropher nodded sadly then with the grace of a king, he turned and made his way toward the door. He stopped though and turned to look at Luna. "Thranduil, that is my son's name. I realized you might not have known." And then he was gone and Luna was left to sit beside the sick bed with a gentle smile.


	11. Chapter 11

Luna sat in that chair for hours. She had pulled her legs up to rest her chin on her knees, and wrapped her arms around her shins, and summoned a book. The Calming Draught that rested on the stand beside the bed twinkled up at her. She nursed a cup if Earl Gray Tea between her hands and watched Thranduil.

Luna had applied a new coat of Burn-Healing paste to his face and had wiped away the old layer that covered his once burned chest. He was rather handsome, and Luna couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity as she looked at him. She knew she had seen him somewhere before but no matter how hard she tried to remember the memory slipped away from her like water between open fingers.

Luna sighed quietly, placed her mug down on the table, and moved so that she could check Thranduil's wound, see if it had healed any more or no. If it hadn't then Luna would have to break out her wand and try something else... Or summon some Essence of Dittany. Neither of which she wanted to do if it were avoidable. Luna reached out tentatively, keeping herself perfectly balanced as to not shift or jostle the injured prince. There was a brief flicker of movement beneath Thranduil's eyelids, a slightly shift of his dark eyelashes. Luna hesitated then with a shake of her head she reached out and began peeling the dried orange paste away from the sleeping man's face.

Luna gasped loudly as one hand wrapped around the wrist of her hand that hovered over Thranduil's face and another wrapping around her neck in a some what gentle way. Grey eyes met intense blue.. Well one blue and one milky white. Luna's hand lunged for the Calming Draught, she half expected his hand to tighten around her neck but he didn't seem to notice... Of course, he had been blinded in one eye by dragon fire, Luna almost kicked herself. Instead she easily uncorked the vial and brought it closer.

"Who are-"

As soon as his lips opened Luna dumped the draught into his mouth and carefully placed her hand over his mouth in order to keep him from spitting the contents out. The shattering of the vial seemed to echo through the healing ward like thunder had thundered through the Ravenclaw tower all those days ago.

"Drink," Luna said, her voice soothingly sweet, "If you don't I cannot answer the questions you surely have."

Thranduil's eyes bulged, his hands weakly attempted to force Luna away. "Please do not make me force you to drink this." Luna begged, her eyes pleading. She had never liked using force against someone, even now as she held her hand over his mouth Luna's stomach churned. As if sensing her growing discomfort Thranduil hesitatingly swallowed the sweet tasting liquid. Luna smiled and remove her hand.

"I believe you were asking who I was." Luna smiled charmingly.

Thranduil stared at the elf sitting to his left. He had to turn his head in order to see her. There was a dull pain in his face and there was nothing but blackness in his eyes. He reached up slowly, his fingers brushed against something dry and crusty.

"Oh! No, allow me. If you do it you may cause yourself more damage... I was going to remove the paste when you woke up anyway." Luna breathed.

Thranduil's hand dropped from his face and landed at his side. The woman reached up, her hands gently touching the paste, he could feel the warmth of her fingers from beneath the paste. The warmth was nothing like the scalding pain of the Dragon fire, it was far more pleasurable. The chilly bite of air hit his face causing him to jump ever so slightly.

"The burn is healing nicely... Almost completely gone. Though you will have a scar." Te girl breathed.

Thranduil remained quiet. What was a scar to him? "My eye... Can you fix it?"

"I should be able to. Yes. I can even conceal your scar if you wish."

"I would be much obliged." Thranduil stated.

The girl smiled kindly, grabbed a polished wooden stick, and pointed the tip at his face. She began to mumble something under her breath. It started with a sharp sting, then a cool rush, and then his vision in his eye came back and his face was left tingling. "I made it so you can remove the concealment whenever you wish... Oh! I almost forgot, your Ada is waiting for me to send him a message."

Thranduil watched as the girl stood and began to pull something from her pocket. It was a vial of sluggish blue liquid. "If the pain come back, drink about half of this. I shall return later to check on you."

The girl turned, her long silvery hair swirling around her like a cloak. Thranduil reached out and caught her slim wrist, she stilled, Thranduil ignored the way his hand seemed to tingle when he touched her.

"I do not know your name." Thrandui stated.

"Luna... Though everyone seems to prefer Ithilwen... Though Ithilwen does mean Luna." Luna tapped her chin.

Thranduil felt mortified that he hadn't seen it sooner. That uncanny resemblance between the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien and the girl standing before him should have been obvious.

"You have my apologies, My Lady. I was unaware."

Luna waved her hand. "Stop being silly. There was no way you could have know in the state of mind you were in."

Thranduil sighed under his breath. Luna smiled kindly at him, revealing her top set of pearly whites. "Remember. Half of the vial." Luna directed, pointing playfully at the vial.

Thranduil nodded once, acknowledging her orders. "Thank you." He said, politely.

"It was nothing." Luna chirped happily.

Thranduil watched her as she turned on her heel and began skipping from the healing ward. Thranduil fell back against his pillows. Twisting the vial in his hand, he shifted, then put the vial on the bedside table. He closed his eyes, there had been something about Ithilwen, something familiar that went beyond the hereditary looks of her house. It almost felt like... Magic.


	12. Chapter 12

"Do you like it here, Luna? Do you ever think of going home?" Neville implored.

"I do enjoy it here... Back in England... It was beautiful yes, but here it is pure and perfect and this is the most at home I have felt in years, Neville." Luna breathed as she played with an emerald leaf.

The two teens had been given permission by Mad Eye to take a break from training the elves and explore the small space that surrounded the castle that Luna and Mad Eye and Neville had set a magical barrier around. Luna dipped her feet into the cool river and leaned back against the river bank. She had been able to transfigure some fabrics into jumpers and sweaters and trousers for not only themselves but for Mad Eye as well... Neville and Mad Eye weren't exactly... Comfortable in elvish garments.

"I miss my grandmother." Neville stated, skipping a smooth rock across the river.

"She would be proud... Your parents would be as well." Luna stated, picking absently at the fraying hem of her jumper.

"... Do you think we have a chance at winning this? I mean... Do you think we can beat these people? The Death Eaters and Sauron?"

"I believe that if we believe we cannot stand a chance then we have already been defeated." Luna replied.

Neville dropped onto the surprisingly dry river bank and groaned. His hands flew to his face and her rubbed the palm of his hand into his eye. "Do you know how hard it is to teach herbology to these elves! It's bloody awful! They're always wanting to tell me I'm wrong and that I don't know what I'm talking about. It's a bloody mad house!"

Luna chuckled, her lips pulling back in a soft smile. "At least you never need to handle Mandrake Roots."

Neville paled, his mind flying back to his second year of Hogwarts. He blushed and suddenly Luna was hit with a small wave of water that caused her trousers to cling to her skin like paint clung to a canvas. Luna glared good naturedly at Neville, who removed his hand from the water and smirked.

"You will pay for that." Luna declared as she dunked her cupped hands into the water and thrust them toward Neville. The water hit him in the face, drenching his sweater and his trousers and his hair. It ran off of his skin and dripped lazily from his nose and chin. he looked like a wet dog with his hair falling about his face in wet, unruly clumps of dark brown. Neither were aware of the intense blue eyes that watched them from the trees.

"Mature," Neville grumbled as he began to ring water out of his sweater, leaving it awkwardly shaped and hanging loosely around the body. "Why is it I always end up getting wet?"

Luna rolled her eyes. "You do not always get wet... You just happen to have horrid timing. Or perhaps you have an exceptional talent of being in the right place at the wrong time? It is rather confusing, but surely you understand."

Thranduil watched the two from his perch hidden in the trees. He had found the silver haired beauty rather intriguing. She was unlike another woman, mortal or no, he had ever met. There was a light that surrounded Ithilwen, daughter of the Lord and Lady of light, that drew him in like a moth would be drawn to a flame. It had taken him a day and a half to figure out why Ithilwen had appeared so familiar. Thranduil couldn't quite remember it but he knew that he had dreamt of her, the memory of the dreams were foggy but they were there and he could remember being content. And so he watched her, followed her, became enchantedly intrigued by her.

"Do you think they're waiting for us to slip up?"

"I would suspect so... They have not attacked nor have they seemed to want to since the incident with the Prince."

"That's what worries me. Death Eaters aren't this low key. They enjoy killing to much." Neville stated.

"We just have to wait them out... But I do worry." Luna breathed tiredly. "It is odd tha they have waited so long to attack."

"Maybe they're trying to get allies?" Neville suggested.

Thranduil leaned forward slightly, his face twitched as a slight tug came from the left portion of his face. It was odd to feel yet not quite feel one's face. Of course he was eternally grateful to the young elleth sitting with her feet in the river, but he still found it odd. With the silentness of an elf Thranduil slid from his hiding place.

"I do not think that is why they have not attacked." Luna sighed, raking a hand through her damp hair.

"Well... Do you think we're screwed?"

"For the most part?" Neville nodded. "No... No, I do not think so."

Thranduil stepped up behind Ithilwen and the human boy that Rovain had become smitten with. They made an odd friendship, the elleth and the human boy, but it gave the elven prince an odd sense of comfort to know that their was someone who could protect the princess of light without being a romantic threat.

"Would you like to join us?" luna implored kindly, looking over her shoulder at Thranduil.

The prince blinked once before stepping up beside the blonde and the dark haired boy. "Good morning." He greeted the human boy before exchanging the traditional elven greeting with Ithilwen.

They sat there for a moment, silent, then Ithilwen sighed. "Are you always so sullen?" She implored looking at Thranduil, who raised a dark eyebrow.

"Are you always so blunt?" Thranduil asked.

"Yes, actually, she is." Neville replied while ringing out his jumper.

"Only because being blunt is better then being a liar." Ithilwen replied.

"But no less insensitive." Neville joked.

Ithilwen laughed, her head tipping back So that her face could be warmed by the sun. "I never mean to hurt anyone. But lying has a tendency of doing just that."

Thranduil found himself oddly fascinated with the elleth beside him. She was no older then him, still an elfling but quickly approaching the day they became adults, yet she saw the world and herself as well as others in a way that only elves of a great age could, and it thrilled him. Endeared her to him in a way others had never been able to. The young prince mentally shook himself, what did it matter if he found one woman interesting? What did it matter if he found the way she scrunched up her nose endearing? What did it matter if he found himself enthralled with her eyes? What did it matter that he found her way of speaking endearing? It didn't.

"It's lovely here..." Ithilwen breathed out, a small smile spreading over her face.

"I guess it is, kind of reminds me of the forbidden forest." Neville agreed.

Luna chuckled. "When did you decided to challenge the danger of the dark forest?" She mocked.

"Professor Sprout took me out there... Once or twice."

"More like you went without permission." Luna giggled.

Thranduil found himself smiling. For the first time in months he was laughing and smiling and absolutely enjoying himself. It shouldn't have been a surprise to him when the bright purple shot out of the trees, beating against some form of a barrier before dissipating away, but it did, and it frightened him as well. The two magical beings shot up, their wands appearing as if out of air. Thranduil stood as well, placing himself slightly in front of Ithilwen.

"Stay back." She commanded softly, moving so that she stood directly in front of him and to his left with her arm extended so that it prevented him from moving forward.

Two hooded people stepped out of the shadows. Their hoods were pulled up only enough to hide their hair but it was quite obvious the two were related. They both had the same oily pale skin, their eyes were small and black, their nosed slanted up, and when they smiled they revealed rotting teeth. Though it wasn't their appearance that sickened Thranduil, it was the darkness that surrounded them like a heavy cloak that smelt of rot and death.

"Look it, Amycus! Look it, the little blood traitor and the elf bitch." The female cackled, spittle flying from her lips.

"Amycus, Alecto. What do you want?" Neville hissed.

"Such atrocious manners, aren't you going to let us past your barrier. We'll discuss our terms, all civil like." Alecto snickered.

"No. You are not welcome here." Luna stated, tersely.

The twins smirked. "Very well then." They sneered together. Their wands raised, level with their shoulders, wand tips pointed to the sky.

"Get down!"

Thranduil found himself on the ground only a second later, the lighter weight of the silver haired lady pressing against him. His ears rang with the deafening sounds of cracking stones and snapping trees. With great effort Thranduil opened his eyes, through the curtain of silvery blonde hair he saw something he would never forget. Trees were uprooting on themselves, rocks were cracking open and they swirled through the air, glowing with infused power, then they would beat against the barrier, which pulsated every time an object hit it. He felt Ithilwen's weight leave him only a moment later.

"The barrier!" Neville shouted, enraged.

The two quickly went about reinforcing the barrier, it did little good. Soon there were holes forming in the barrier and spells began flying through the cracks. Vibrant lights and horrific screams. Thranduil pulled himself up, bow drawn, arrow notched. He leased his arrow at the man, the silvery arrow flew through the air, ripped through the weakening barrier, and embedded itself in the man's chest. Amycus roared, stumbling back against the tree, his blood dripping down his body.

"Amycus!"

Thranduil watched as the sister whirled around, her eyes blazing with a terrific rage. "You did this." She snarled, wand raised. Thranduil reached for another arrow, the white fletching sliding through his calloused fingers. Thranduil was quick, but the woman was quicker. The blindly purple spell shot at him and for a moment Thranduil thought of dragon fire and a pain to great to bare. Though his time the pain never came.

Luna shoved the elven prince away. Alecto's curse hit her full force, sending her flying backwards. Luna cried out as her body snapped against a tree, she tumbled to the ground, laying in a dazed heap. _Get up_, she yelled to herself, _get up_! Luna pushed herself up, her hand slipping over red stained rocks. Get up, she needed to get up. She needed to get Thranduil and Neville out of there, she needed to get them all to safety.

The ringing in her ears was deafening, the voices of Thranduil and Neville and the Carrow twins was so faint they were dream like. "We... We... Need to go." Luna stated, stumbling over to Thranduil. She gripped his wrist in her hand, twirled her wand in the other, sent a curse at the Carrow twins, then disapperated away.

They appeared in the throne room, or maybe it was the training room. Everything was blurry to the silver haired princess. The world was a swirl of earth tones and worried faces. She felt like she was falling, maybe she was falling, maybe she was dying. She sure felt like it.

"Stay awake, get a medic!"

Luna coughed violently, blood staining her lips and her chin. Forcing herself to focus, Luna looked at her hands, they were stained red with thick liquid, as was her stomach, hip, and upper thigh. "Oh..." It was all she could say, what was she supposed to say? Luna looked up, her silvery eyes meeting familiar blue ones.

Thranduil wasn't sure what he felt as he carried the bleeding elleth to the healing wing. Worry, yes. But there were other feelings as well, feelings that stirred a great panic in his chest at just the thought of Ithilwen dying. His clothes were stained with her blood and for a moment he cursed her for pushing him away. He knew pain, he could handle pain, he was the warrior, and although women could be as well, the thought of Ithilwen bleeding for him, dying for him, made Thranduil sick. When he entered the hospital wing, he was ushered to a bed and once she was laying on the bed Thranuil was pushed out the door. He wanted to storm back into the room, demand that they let him stay, but he knew well enough that distracting the healers would do little good for Ithilwen, and so he leaned against the wall, breathing heavily, and staring at blood soaked hands. Silently cursing the elleth who saved him at the risk of her own life.


	13. Chapter 13

The healers were more then competent, and even with Mad Eye's magic to help close the wound, the elven healers had already purged the darkness from the gagged cut that ran from her stomach to her hip.

Luna knew she was lucky to be alive, lucky to have survived the darkness of the curse. Luna knew full well that she had been stupid to jump in front of that curse, stupid, stupid, stupid, but if she hadn't then Thranduil would have been injured.

"You are foolish."

Speak of the Devil and he shall come. Luna carefully pulled herself up, hand pressed firmly to her side, easing the pain. "I wouldn't say that I was being foolish. Maybe irrational or irresponsible for my well being, but, not foolish." Luna chuckled.

Thranduil did not look impressed. At all. His lips were pursed and his dark eyebrows were pinched inward, causing his eyes to narrow, worry sparkled in the dark depths of Thranduil's blue eyes alongside anger.

"You are foolish. I would have suspected you to think before attempted something so foolish. You are barely an elfling and yet you act like one." Thranduil bit out tensely.

Luna blinked once, tilted his head to the side, and then smiled, a triumphant attempt to catch Thranduil off guard. "If I didn't know better. I would have to guess that you actually cared for me enough to be worried." Luna joked though her mind chewed over his earlier words. Barely an elfling? That couldn't be possible. Elves reached adulthood at the age of one hundred, she was only eighteen and Thranduil was no older than her.

"You," Thranduil stated tensely, "Are the daughter of Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. You, are a very powerful Istari. You, are also reckless." Thranduil wasn't sure why he was so upset, was it because the girl sitting before him was so stupidly ready to throw away her life... Throw her life away for him. It wasn't a pleasant thought.

"Thranduil, I apologize for making you worry... Would you mind helping me to the dressing screen? I've been cleared to leave and it wouldn't be appropriate to be seen wondering the corridors in a night dress." Luna swung her feet over the side of the bed, her bare feet brushing the cool stone floor.

Thranduil nodded, extending his hands so that he could help the slightly younger girl to her feet. Luna excepted the hand and painfully pulled herself to her feet. She felt a little bad for asking the prince to escort her to the dressing area but when the healers had been there earlier Luna had been in far to much pain to accept their offered help, so there she was, stumbling over to the dressing screens where clothing awaited her. Luna had never been clumsy, not really, but when one is injured being clumsy does tend to happen. This time was no exception. Luna gasped loudly, more of a squeak then a gasp really, as her left foot caught the back of her right sending her pitching forward.

Thranduil reacted quickly, he quickly latched hold of Ithilwen's upper arms, pulling her back to his chest in an attempt to keep her from hitting the floor. They story that way for a moment, silent, and a mere hairs width apart from the other. Thranduil could fell the downy softness of Ithilwen's curls against his chin, he smelt the subtle smell of roses as it wafted from Ithilwen's personal space and into his eyes own. A brief moment passed where Thranduil didn't want to let Ithilwen go, he even went as far as to move his hand to her wrist, pulling her even closer to him.

"I... I'm sorry."

The moment broke and Thranduil reluctantly let the silver haired girl go. "It was to be expected of you in your current state." He uttered.

Luna smiled shyly and ducked behind the dressing screen. As quickly as possible Luna stripped out of her night gown, tossing the somewhat bloodied dress up so that it drapped itself over the dressing screen. Slowly, Luna stepped into a dress of a deep green color, reaching around she struggled it lace the dress up to an appropriate hight, but the pain of her wound only allowed her to twist her arms to a certain point before the nausea hit.

"Damn." She muttered while pulling her wand from the holster on her fore arm and her hair over her left shoulder. Hopefully she had enough concentration to pull off the spell she was planning on using.

"Are you alright?" Thranduil called from the other side of the dressing screen, his concern obvious.

"Oh, yes. It's just the laces is all." Luna replied, blushing darkly for no apparent reason.

A moment later Luna stepped out from behind the dressing screen. She smiled shyly at the golden haired boy and tucked her wand back into place. Thranduil stared at Ithilwen, taking in the color of her hair in yhe light, the brightness of her eyes, the paleness of her skin against the emerald of the gown she wore. Beautiful.

"May I escort you?" Thandruil implored, offering his arm.

"I would like that." Luna stated while slipping her finger tips around Thranduil's arm. Thranduil quickly adjusted them so that the palm of her hand was cupped around his forearm.

The two walked slowly through the corridors, more for the sake of eachother's company rather then Luna's injury but they didn't mind. The two spoke of many things, such as England and Hogwarts and Harry Potter. Thranduil found himself fascinated with the magic Ithilwen possessed. They talked of the Green Woods and of the dwarves and of pass times the two participated in.

Luna found herself smiling as she listened to Thranduil talk of his huntig trips. Personally Luna didn't really care for hunting, it wasn't that she didn't like meat or was sickened by the bloodshed, death was part of life after all, it was the cruelty of the sport. Letting an animal suffer for hours with an arrow in it's side before the ones hunting it were able to deliver the killing blow, the thought disgusted her.

"Are you skilled in any form of weaponry?" Thranduil asked.

"Honestly, no. I've never had to learn how to wield anything by my wand as far as weaponry goes." Luna replied.

There was a moments pause. "I could teach you, if you'd like." He would never admit it but Thranduil truly did want to teach the elleth to fight. It made him uneasy to think about her being unprotected if she were to ever loose her wand.

"I would appreciate it if you would, but, I don't want to be a burden. You're a prince and I wouldn't want to take your attention away from your duties."

"I assure you, you would be doing no such thing. I think a short sword, or perhaps duel swords would work best for you, of corse, I'll also be teaching you to use a bow as well." Thranduil stated, carefully observing the girl's slim fingers.

"Thank you." Luna breathed softly.

Thranduil nodded curtly. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Thranduil found himself examining the elleth beside him. She was rather small, her hair was more wave then curl but contained just enough curl to be considered, well, curly, her eyes were large, and there was a scar just under her ear that disappeared into her hair line. Thranduil found himself curious as to ware she had gotten it, and silently vowing to kill anyone who had touched her.

"I got it when I was seven. I was quite fond of the stream that ran through the property my foster father owned. One day while I was swimming I slipped and hit my head." Luna said kindly.

Thranduil blinked. "I apologize for my rudeness." Thranduil murmured.

"It's quite alright... Well, this is me. Thank you, for everything." Luna breathed, leaning slightly against her door frame. A silvery curl fell into her face, obscuring her vision of the god-like elf before her. Luna reached up, preparing to tuck the curl away, but another hand, strong and firm, beat her to the task.

Thranduil wasn't sure what had possessed him to do it, to reach out and tuck away the silken curl that hun in Ithilwen's face, when he had no right to do so. It was an intimate action, one that only elves who had been pledged to another or betrothed performed. Though, at that moment, Thranduil didn't give a damn if someone saw him, he didn't give a damn if it was deemed inappropriate. In that moment all that mattered was the tingle that traveled across his fingers as the tips of his fingers traced the skin that covered Ithilwen's cheeks, the subtle flush of pink that covered her skin from ear to ear and down to her neck line.

Thranduil found himself leaning forward ever so slightly, and thus the moment was broken. Thranduil pulled away with a slight clearing of his throat and looked at Ithilwen. "I'll meet you in the training grounds after you break your fast."

"Of course." Luna breathed softly, hopping her voice wasn't shaking.

Thranduil politely wished her fare well before turning and making his way down the corridor. Luna watched him until his lithe figure disappeared around a corner. Luna quickly entered her chambers. The door was shut and bolted and Luna found herself leaning her forehead against the door, shaky breaths leaving her parted lips. A smile tugged at her lips.

Luna had no problem in admitting that she found herself attracted to the elvish prince. Why would she be ashamed of being attracted the him? Luna bit her lip. Elves mated for life, they weren't like humans, who's emotions could flip so easily between love and hate. Elves loved only once in their life and loved only those that they were destined for.

Luna shoved away from the door. She could be wrong, she could just find Thranduil attractive the way she found Harry attractive or Neville even. Strictly platonic. Luna sighed tiredly and made her way over to the window seat, she sat down heavily and smiled a bit. Hadn't her mother said that in time she wouldn't want to leave The Green Woods? Had the Lady Galadriel meant that Luna would find her destined? Before Luna could think further on the subject, a sharp pain in her side reminded Luna as to why she had left the healing ward. With slow steps Luna made her way to her emergency stash of potions and quickly downed one for the pain.


End file.
